Many outdoor recreational activities require an individual to perch himself, or other objects, well above the ground. In deer hunting, for example, trees frequently provide the best means available to a hunter for avoiding early detection by his prey.
But a hunter's desire to use the natural protection and cover afforded by a tree can be quite separate from his ability to climb it. For example, a hunter will often times be so overburdened with equipment that scaling a tree is virtually impossible. To this end, many hunters and other outdoor sports persons use a device commonly known as a tree step.
The typical rod-type tree step is a simple, unitary steel rod having an open "Z" shape characterized by first and second substantially horizontal sections extending in opposite directions from either end of a centrally disposed, vertically oriented section. One horizontal section includes a threaded screw portion for insertion into a tree. The second, opposing section comprises the "step", which usually includes a non-skid surface that provides traction during climbing.
Insertion of the tree step is accomplished by screwing the threaded portion into the tree. Because the second, step section also acts as a handle for the user during the insertion process, it will be appreciated that the open "Z" configuration of the step is also beneficial. Since the "step" section is offset with respect to the axis of insertion of the threaded portion, the "step" section imparts greater rotational force, or torque, during insertion, making installment of the tree step less tiresome.
Unfortunately, the geometric configuration of the typical tree step is not sufficient to prevent the onset of fatigue in instances where a great number of tree steps must be inserted or removed. Nor is the increased rotational torque provided by its open "Z" shape sufficient to overcome particularly dense wood without great physical exertion.
Several apparent limitations prevent simple modification of existing tree steps to overcome the above problems. In the first place, increasing the rotational force imparted on the axis of insertion would require an increase in the length of the tree step's vertically oriented section. But this solution increases the size and weight of each tree step, reducing the number that can be carried by an individual. Secondly, the desire for the tree step to be operable by a single user prevents the distance between the "step" and threaded sections from exceeding the arm span of the average person.